Apple That

A new exploit has recently surfaced in Apple’s iOS operating system for its mobile devices. The exploit itself allows users to gain access to an iPhone locked via passcode even if they have no idea what the passcode is. Obviously this is a huge defect in the programming as it makes having a passcode completely irrelevant.

The good news is that Apple is well on its way to releasing a patch for this exploit. According to a recent statement released by the company, “Apple takes user security very seriously. We are aware of this issue and will deliver a fix in a future software update.”

Unfortunately, Apple was unable to give a specific time frame on when users can expect the update and its subsequent fix of the exploit. In addition to that, the company also didn’t offer any information on a “quick fix” that would temporarily allow users to secure their iPhones until the update.

The hack, which was published a month ago by a user on YouTube, recently surfaced and opens up access to the iPhone, allowing the hacker to listen to the phone’s voicemails, make calls and view contact information. However, any attempt to go beyond that information will send the hacker back to the passcode screen.

The latest update to Apple’s iOS, v6.1.1, went live earlier this week but was only a supplemental update for iPhone 4S users and only fixed an issue with cellular connectivity and reliability. All other users have the ability to update to version 6.1, which adds 4G LTE support for more carriers on Apple devices as well as a feature that allows users to purchase movie tickets from Fandango after searching for them using Siri.

This is definitely a critical flaw in the iOS for Apple. The fact that an iPhone user’s device can be accessed to listen to voicemails, make calls and view contact information is something that most users will find unnerving. Apple’s best course of action is to deliver a fix as soon as possible on this issue.